Accreditation & Certification*

*Please note: The new BS program in Behavior and Health has replaced the undergraduate program in Therapeutic Studies (BS/MSOT). Contact us for updated information about this program.

Accreditation

Boston University College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College’s entry-level Occupational Therapy Programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20814-3449. AOTA’s phone number is 301-652-2682 and website is http://www.aota.org/. In December 2011, ACOTE awarded Boston University Sargent College full re-accreditation for 10 years through academic year 2021/2022 for substantial compliance with the Accreditation Standards for a Master’s-Degree-Level Educational Program for the Occupational Therapist.

Institutional accreditation: Boston University is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. The University was most recently granted continuing accreditation in October 2009.

Certification

Graduates of the Boston University MSOT program are eligible to sit for the National Certification Examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. Upon successful completion of the exam, you will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). Most states require licensure to practice. However, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination.

NBCOT Eligibility: The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) may disqualify students with felony convictions/charges from becoming certified. The Qualifications Review Committee (QRC) will review the qualifications of examination candidates who have been convicted of or charged with a felony to determine if the circumstances appear to relate directly to the safe, proficient and/or competent practice of occupational therapy. For students entering an OT program, the QRC may give an early determination for approval to take the certification exam.  For more information, please contact the NBCOT directly.

NBCOT Success Rate: Over the past 3 years (January 2010-December 2012), our graduates have achieved an overall pass rate of 98.3% on the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam.

*Because the calendar year of a student’s official graduation may differ from the year in which the exam was taken, these two categories do not overlap 100%.

More than 80% of our graduates seeking employment last year had jobs within 3 months after completing the program. Boston University graduates consistently rate themselves as very well prepared for practice, and many have taken on leadership roles in practice and education.